Things I Did: Watched the 6-Minute Version of One Direction’s Video

I’m 40 years old. You might’ve picked up on that if you’ve been reading my blog. It happens. I’m not having a full-blown mid-life crisis, but if a few more things happen, I could easily see myself spinning out of control.

But I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here to tell you all the good things turning 40 has unleashed into my life.

First, I’ve started running again. It feels GREAT. I’m running slowly at a 10-minute-mile pace (maybe 11 minutes), but I’m just so excited that I’ve logged 12 miles in the past 6 days and I’ve yet to cough up any blood. Oh, and I played a pretty intense few games of tennis against my wife. Again, no blood and no wheezing. If I can re-commit to fitness and my health for a year, only then will I know if I’m truly doomed to a life with a bloody-lung and I can only ever walk slowly or swim slowly, or maybe I can exercise again. And be healthy and live longer.

My sister (@MomRunsHalf) turned me onto this guy calling himself The Lung Warrior, and he inspired me, too. I’m going to do some P90X type exercises tonight indoors and tomorrow I’ll get up early and swim.

Second, I’ve begun a massive “de-cluttering” project. This was inspired by listening to a book on CD entitled “Lighten Up” by Peter Walsh. Wasn’t sure what to expect when I plopped this CD into my dashboard …I thought the guy was all about labeling file folders and organizing closets. But it was so much more and exactly what I needed right at this very moment. The book (audio book, in my case) is about de-cluttering your mind and learning to be happy with what you have. Living within your means. Budgeting. Figuring out happiness doesn’t come from possessions and having more than your friends or neighbors, but from the things money can’t buy. I’ll be listening to it again, but he asks more than a few times, if your home was about to be demolished, what would you remove from your home if you only had 1-minute? Of course, I’d save my wife, at least two of my kids, my iPad (ahem …yes …my iPad makes me that happy), and a few heirlooms. I had to think about those heirlooms, actually, and where they were.

He made another good point regarding “stuff”. Why do we have so much “stuff?” Books. DVDs. Ties. Shoes. Clothes. The list goes on and on. I couldn’t help but think about all the books I own, have read (or never read) and how they just take up space. Am I going to re-read them? Why do I have them? Why do I dust them and dust around them? Why do I have a drawer full of DVDs I haven’t watched in 3, 4, or 10 years? And are all these items filling up a to-do list in my brain I’ll never get to, and how is it effecting my behavior.

I’m sure I’m missing the point, but this is what it inspired in me …I sold and donated 44 books, quickly put together two grocery bags worth of clothes to donate, and I listed 6 things on CraigsList. It felt pretty good.

Third, and lastly, I watched the full 6-minute version of One Direction’s new video, “Best Song Ever.” I watched it at work, by myself, and I should apologize for that. But …I’m 40, and I’ll do whatever I want.